Phillies 2026 News and Discussion

[kmc1019]

Really difficult to watch Nola pitch today, as has been the case in the majority of his starts last year and this year. Whether it is aging or a failure to adjust to the pitch clock or both or other, what seemed like a reasonable market contract 18 months ago seems like an albatross now

[flyers19rw]

Too often Nola just doesn’t seem to have an out pitch when he needs it. He gets to two strikes and then can’t put the batter away. Then he grooves a pitch and it does over the wall.

[xogfog]

If they manage to win one of the two Painter/Nola starts they should be okay the rest of the way. Maybe one of them rights the ship and they have a little more leeway, but with the top three in the rotation, they should win a lot of games.

[EDmuch]

As I said previously, they need to split the Nola/Painter starts and win 2 out of 3 when it is Sanchez, Wheeler and Luzardo. They are a playoff team and with the "Big 3" are a threat to win any playoff series.the question is what can DD add at the deadline. Certainly i f he can duplicate last year's moves, we are in great shape.

[zambonir]

As long as Painter continues to develop and there's not a hard, no grandfather salary cap, it's not an albatross because the Phillies have Sanchez and Luzardo cost-controlled and Wheeler coming off the books after next year. He can't turn into Taijuan Walker (or late-era Cliff Lee), of course, but if he's a solid 4/5 that's fine, and he may yet have a few better years in him (who knows, maybe he turned into Chris Sale). This is the year after an injury, which can always been tough.

[zambonir]

Certainly i f he can duplicate last year's moves, we are in great shape.

A closer and a CF?

I think we'd all like to see a bigger bat. A healthy Bader plus a healthy Wheeler may have gotten them through the Dodgers (or a different NLDS opponent) last year, but hard to say for sure. Or that they'd hold up in a seven-game series any more than they did against the Astros or the DBacks. They had a Big 3 those years too.

[owaistabish]

I am so so impressed with Marsh. What a steal at the 2022 deadline, I hope they do extend him.

[andyb]

We are in the second wild card spot now. Team is actually in decent shape even if they have not been hitting and the rotation is shaky in the 4 and 5 spots. If the Braves are going to be hard to catch it really begs the question of how much of an upgrade is prudent (probably beyond an obvious right-handed bat assuming Garcia does not improve much).

Interestingly the AL would have a below .500 team in the last wild card at the moment. There really is a huge difference between the 2 leagues this year.

[Philsmania]

I am so so impressed with Marsh. What a steal at the 2022 deadline, I hope they do extend him.

For a good while, O'Hoppe looked like a painful price to pay but he has been mostly "meh", at least with the bat.

[Philsmania]

We are in the second wild card spot now. Team is actually in decent shape even if they have not been hitting and the rotation is shaky in the 4 and 5 spots. If the Braves are going to be hard to catch it really begs the question of how much of an upgrade is prudent (probably beyond an obvious right-handed bat assuming Garcia does not improve much).

Interestingly the AL would have a below .500 team in the last wild card at the moment. There really is a huge difference between the 2 leagues this year.

Getting Turner going and Garcia's recent wakeup being for real would be a big help in getting the offense going.

[EDmuch]

Z, Yes, another relief pitcher and an outfielder.

[zambonir]

I'm not convinced they need another bullpen arm. Of course you can always use another bullpen arm. But enough guys have emerged, and those trades rarely work out like Duran did. Getting another Estevez (who was just okay) or Lorenzen (who was supposed to be a huge bullpen weapon once he left the rotation) or Robertson ('nuff said) not necessarily preferable to just fixing what's here (and moving starters to the playoff pen).

As for the OF, sure. But all the more reason not to hopefully need a relief arm, if you're going to overpay for something better than a Hays or a Bader (who is a great defender and was hot last year, but still not the middle-of-the order guy, price was not high). Including you-know-who.

[EastFallowfield]

Not strictly 2026, but a story on the Phils' role in the earlier start times:

‘Never had more positive feedback’: Inside MLB’s race to beat 7 p.m.

[phillychuck]

Really, Trout is the only RH answer that makes any sense. If healthy, he actually can hit and has enough of a rep to make other teams adjust. I can’t think of another plausibly available alternative, but maybe I’m just not looking in the right place.

[zambonir]

There's also Buxton (identical OPS+ to Trout and no more or less available). The Orioles' Ward, who Phillies could have gotten in the first place. The Astros have both a 3B (if they want to replace Bohm) and a 1B (if they want to move Harper and/or Schwarber around).

Looks like more like 2023 or 2024 than 2025 to me. Small moves. Team is already good enough to make the playoffs; no move will be big enough to win them the East or move the needle big-time for a championship (as few deadline moves ever do).

We'll see which of the Trout variables actually pan out, if any. A) His willingness to be traded, and to where if so. B) What the Angels want. C) What the Angels are willing to pay down in salary. All three things have to be perfect,

Nola for Trout, that would work.

[zambonir]

btw MIke Trout has a .685 OPS in the past 28 days. Even worse in the last 14 and 7. Slump, injury or just a guy who will be 35 in August?

[andyb]

Not a great conclusion here on Nola. The stuff has improved as the season has gone on, mainly in increased velocity as it has gotten warmer. But Nola has also developed a big problem against left-handed hitters. His fastball is getting hammered (location?, movement?) and his change is as mediocre as ever. He is going to need to find a way to get lefties out or at least keep them in the park.

These 6 pitchers have seen their stuff improve, but will that translate into...

[Callison]

btw MIke Trout has a .685 OPS in the past 28 days. Even worse in the last 14 and 7. Slump, injury or just a guy who will be 35 in August?

Good negotiation tool for the Phils. The prefect storm is 28 days closer.

Meanwhile the Angels are playing .373 ball. Some fatigue has gotta be settling in. Going through the motions. Only the Rockies are worse. But the Angels remain unmotivated to trade Trout, and think they can do well trading lesser players.

Only Trout can make the trade happen. Maybe the Phils should send some flowers to his mom.

[Philsmania]

btw MIke Trout has a .685 OPS in the past 28 days. Even worse in the last 14 and 7. Slump, injury or just a guy who will be 35 in August?

Good negotiation tool for the Phils. The prefect storm is 28 days closer.

Meanwhile the Angels are playing .373 ball. Some fatigue has gotta be settling in. Going through the motions. Only the Rockies are worse. But the Angels remain unmotivated to trade Trout, and think they can do well trading lesser players.

Only Trout can make the trade happen. Maybe the Phils should send some flowers to his mom.

Despite his struggles, is he still likely to be in the ASG at CBP, either elected or as the Angels lone rep? If so, put word out to the fans to give him a rousing welcome when he is introduced!

[EDmuch]

Then Trade for Joe Adell